ACIDIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR - EVALUATION OF TOPICAL FORMULATIONS IN A DIABETIC MOUSE WOUND-HEALING MODEL

The efficacy of topical formulations of acidic fibroblast growth facto r (aFGF) in healing of full-thickness wounds has been studied in a dia betic db + /db + mouse model. The effect of several formulation variab les, dose, and application frequency was examined. It was found that w ound healing in diabetic animals treated with aFGF or placebo was slow er than in their nondiabetic littermates. The availability of aFGF fro m the viscous vehicle employed in this study (1% hydroxyethyl cellulos e) was demonstrated in vitro using diffusion cells. The viscous formul ation of aFGF was equally effective in wound healing as a nonviscous f ormulation in phosphate-buffered saline. A formulation containing hepa rin (necessary for full biological and conformational stability of aFG F) at a mass ratio of 3:1 to aFGF was more efficacious than formulatio ns with lower heparin: aFGF ratios. Wounds treated with three doses of 3.0 mug/cm2 aFGF healed faster than those treated with a single dose of 3.0 mug/cm2 aFGF. Three applications of 3.0 or 0.6 mug/cm2 aFGF wer e equally effective in accelerating wound healing.